Swivel seat stabilizer



W. T. INGRAM SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i f* l Zlf Dec. 19,1961 Filed March 23, 1959 l l l L l l V l) f TU MIV 1 w\ m 4 O 3%. o

` Dec. 19, 1961 w. T. INGRAM SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER Filed March 23, 19595 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 19, 1961 w. T. INGRAM 3,013,762

SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER Filed March 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENToR.M7724??? Y'Iwyfdm.

HW Wl HW' United States Faitent remesa nee. 19, 1961 3,013,762 SWIVELSEAT STABILIZER William T. Ingram, Birmingham, Mich., assignor toChrysier Corporation, Highland Park, Mich.,a corporation of DelawareFiled Mar. 23, 1359, Ser. No. 801,251 7 Claims. (Ci. 248-423) Thisinvention relates to a Vswivel seat and particularly to a stabilizer`device to rigidly anchor a swivel seat in its normal, forward facing,seating position while permitting ready swivel mo-vement of the sea-t toother positions.

It is well known that with the current trend to reduce the height ofmotor vehicles and to reduce roadV clearance that problems havedeveloped relative to easy access to and exit from the seats of themotor vehicle. One of the most successful solutions to certain of thenoted seating problems has been the development of the swivel seat. Thisseat includes a base frame that mounts at each side or end a separateswivelly mounted seat unit that can pivot about a vertically extendingaxis so that the no1 mally forwardly facing seat unit can be readilypivoted to a position facing the doorway opening at theside of the motorvehicle. In order to get the proper swivelling action topreventinterference with portions of the vehicle body and to make itmost comfortable for the swivel seat occupant, it has been found thatthe pivot axis for the swivel seat unit should be adjacent the rear edgeof the seat unit rather than at the center thereof. With an offset pivotaxis of the type now used on Vehicle swivel seats, it has been foundthat the overhung loading of the swivel pivot pin tends to cause rockingor tilting move ment of the seat unit on its associated base unit whichi movement'gives a feeling of instability as well as objectionable noisedue to the clicking together of metallic portions of the seat unit andbase. The invention to be hereinafter described overcomes the aforenoteddisadvantages and provides stability and noise free construction in aswivel seat at a minimum of cost and complication.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an automatic wedgelock for rigidifying a swivel seat when it is in its forwardly facingnormal position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide( a wedge lockfor a swivel seat that will rigidly anchor the swivel seat unit to itsbase frame when the swivel seat unit is in its normal, forwardly facing,position yet will not interfere with the free swinging movement requiredof a swivel seat. f

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and simpliedlocking mechanism for anchoring a swivel mounted seat in a preselectedposition.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readilyapparent when the following specification is considered along with therelated drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a swivel seat unit that embodies thisinvention, the seat being shown in normal, forwardly facing, position;

FIGURE 2 is another top plan view of the swivel seat unit shown inFIGURE 1 but showing the seat pivoted to the limit of its sidewardmovement;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the swivel seat shown in FIGURES1 and 2, the view being taken looking in the direction of the arrow 3 inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevational view takenalong the line 4 4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is another enlarged, fragmentary, sectional FIGURES 1, 2 and 3,in particular, show a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame 11 thatis formed of interconnected front and rear rails 12 and 13 that arejoined at their opposite ends by end rails 14 (only one shown). Swivellymounted on the rear rail 13 of the base frame 11 is a swivel seat 15.Swivel seat 15 comprises a rectangular sub-frame composed of the innerand outer side rails 16 and 17 respectively that are joined at theirforward ends by the front rail 18 and at their rear ends by the rearrail 19. Bridgingly connected between the front and rear rails 18, 19 ofthe sub-frame 15 are a plurality of upwardly arched, longitudinallyextensible, sinuously shaped, spring strips 21. The upper front end andside edges of the spring strips 21 are interconnected by a border wireZ2.

To swivelly or pivotally mount the seat sub-frame unit 15 on the baseframe 11 the sub-frame rear rail 19 is provided with a pivot pin supportbracket 24 at about its mid-length.` Likewise, the rear rail 13 of thebase frame 11 is provided with a pivot pin :support bracket 25 l at alocation directly beneath the sub-frame bracket 24. A verticallyextending pivot pin 26 is connected between thealigned brackets 24, 2Sto pivotally connect the subframe 15 to the base frame 11. Because thepivot prin 26 is located at the rear portion, rather than at the centerof the sub-frame 15, it is thought to be obvious that the sub-frameswivel mounted seat 15 provides an overhung or cantilever type of loadthat could produce binding in the pivot pin connection 24-26 if it werenot for the additional load rollers 31, 32 provided along the front edgeof the yseat frame unit 15.

Looking at FIGURES 1 and 2 particularly it will be noted that thesub-frame 15 has iixedly mounted thereon an arcuately shaped railsection 33 that is of channel shaped formation (see FIG. 7). Theinwardly disposed end 35 of the channel-shaped trackway 33 is closed-toprovide a stop element that engages the roller 31 in one limitingposition (FIG. 2) of the iswivelly mounted seat 15. The front rail 12 ofthe base frame 11 mounts a pair of spaced apart, horizontally disposed,rearwardly projecting, roller supporting studs 36 and 37 respectively.Studs 36 and 37 provide the journals for the rollers 31 and 32 that Aarepositioned in the channel-shaped trackway 33. The rollers 31 and 32 maybe of nylon Vor some similar material that does not require lubricationand that is also sound deadening when rolling in the metallic trackway33. From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that therollers 31, 32 combine with the pivot pin 26 to provide 'a three-pointswivel mount for the seat sub-frame 15 on the base frame 11.`

In order to facilitate the use of the swivelly mounted seat 15, meansare provided to effect movement of the seat 15 from its normal forwardlyfacing position (see FIG. l) to its rotated, side facing position (seeFIG. `2). This seat actuating means comprises a pre-stressed tenf sionspring 39 that is connected between the side rail 16 of the sub-frame 1Sand the side rail 14 of the base frame 11. r[his spring 39 normally actsto swing seat 1S to the side facing position shown in FIGUREy 2. In sucha position a person on the outside of the motor vehicle can easily situpon the seat 15 while standing on the outside of the vehicle and thenlift his feet off the ground and rotate the seat 15 on its swivel mountby merely grasping any convenient portion of the vehicle interior andexerting a force that will eiect rotationr of the seat 15 to itsforwardly facing normal position of FIGURE 1.

When the seat 15 has been rotated to its forwardly` f facing, normalposition (FIG. 1) then it is automatically latched in this position bymeans ofthe spring latch means 42 (see FIG. 4). This latch means 42comprises a pivotally mounted latch bar 43v carried by the side rail 17of the sub-frame 15. Latch bar 43 has a bent end 43a that is adapted tobe latchingly engaged with a keeper member 44 carried by the end rail 14of the base frame 11. Keeper 44 is provided with a notch 44a thatlockingly receives the end 43a of the latch bar 43 when seat has beenrotated to its forwardly facing position (FIG. 1). A torsion spring 46carried by latch bar 43 normally pivots the latch bar end 43a to aforwardly located position where it will seat in the keeper notch ia.Keeper 44 has a cam surface 44b that engages the latch bar end 43a asthe seat 15 is swung from its side facing position (FIG. 2) to itsforwardly facing position (FIG. l). Latch bar 43 is provided with ahandle 47 to facilitate rotation of the latch bar. If handle 47 isdepressed, that is swung counterclockwise, it will move the latch barend 43a rearwardly in keeper notch 44a so that the seat 15 is free torotate counterclockwise on the base frame 11.

While the foregoing description sets forth the basic structure of theswivel seat 15, it has not brought out one of the problems that hasdeveloped in the manufacture of this type of seat because of variationsin manufacturing tolerances and/ or inaccurate seat unit assembly. Dueto these tolerance variations and/or assembly inaccuracies it has beenfound that at times the swivel mounted seat 15 has a tendency to rock ortilt or oscillate slightly relative to the base frame 11. This gives anobjectionably insecure feeling to the seat occupant and it is alsoliable to develop noise that is objectionable and distracting becausethe occupant may feel that the seat is insecurely mounted on thevehicle. To overcome this undesirable limited free movement of the seat15 when it has been swung to its forwardly facing, normal drivingposition, there has been incorporated in this swivel seat unit awedge-lock device 50 that automatically stabilizes and rigidies the seat15 on the base frame 11 when the seat 15 is in its forwardly facingposition.

Wedge-lock 50 is shown particularly in FIGURES 5 and 6. From thesefigures of the drawings it will be noted that the rear rail 13 of thebase frame 11 mounts a bracket 51 having an angled ramp surface 52,.Ramp surface 52 is adapted to be frictionally engaged by a springpressedwedge-lock block 54 when seat 15 is in its forwardly facing position(FIG. l). The inwardly disposed side rail 16 of seat 15, at its rear endportion, carries a housing 55 that is connected to the seat side rail 16by bolts 56 that provide for some adjustability in the positioning ofthe housing 55 on the rail 16. Mounted within the housing 55 is a boltor slide bar 57. Shiftably mounted on the bolt or bar 57 is a wedge-lockblock 54 that has an angled lower face 58 that is adapted to befrictionally and wedgingly engaged with the ramp face 52 of the baseframe mounted bracket 51 when the seat 15 is in its forwardingly facingposition. The wedgelock block 54, that may be nylon or some similarselflubricating, sound deadening, material is arranged for selectiveengagement with the bracket ramp surface 52 when the seat 15 is in aforwardly facing position. Wedge-lock block 54 has a stepped bore 59that receives the compression spring 60 and the bolt or slide bar 57.Spring 60 normally urges the shiftable wedge-lock block 54 towards theend wall 61 of housing 55. However, as the seat 15 is swung from itsside facing position (FIG. 2) to its forwardly facing position (FIG. l)the lower surface 58 of the wedge-lock block 54 will engage with theupper ramp surface 52 of the bracket 51 and a frictionally engagedwedge-lock mechanism will securely anchor the swivel seat 15 againstmovement relative to the base frame 11. Because of the compressionspring 60 the wedge-lock mechanism 50 is self-adjusting and thus wear ofthe block 54 or variations in the manufacturing tolerances betweendifferent swivel seats 15 has no effect on the operability of thewedge-lock device 50. It s thought to be clear that because of theangular arrangement of the wedgingly engaged surfaces 52, 58 and the useof a self-lubricating wedge block 54, that there is practically noresistance to movement of the swivel mounted seat 15 from its forwardlyfacing position (FIG. l) to its side facing position (FIG. 2).Furthermore, the tension spring 39 assists in overcoming any resistanceto movement of the seat 15 out of engagement with the wedge ramp surface52.

While the drawings and description have referred to only a single swivelseat 15 pivotally mounted on the base frame 11, still, it is to beunderstood that this invention contemplates the mounting of a swivelseat 15 at each end of the base frame 11 with the possible use of anarrow, tixedly mounted, cushion section 40 (see FIGS. l and 2) arrangedbetween the adjacent side edges of the pair of spaced apart swivelmounted seats.

It is clear from FIGURES l3 that the swivel seats 15 each carry anassociated seat back section 65. Seat back section 65 is pivotallyconnected at 66 to spacedapart hinge supports 67 carried by the rearrail 19 of the seat unit 15. The hinge connection 66 permits forwardfolding of the seat back 65.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is thought to beclear that when swivel seat 15 is rotated to its forwardly facingposition (FIG. l) that the wedgelock mechanism 50 will automaticallytake up or cornpensate for any tolerances in the seat pivot mechanism24-26, or in the seat roller mechanism 311-37 or in the latch mechanism42, 4,4. As a result the swivel seat 15 is always latched in a rigid,stable, noiseless position.

I claim: y

l. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat framepivotally mounted on said base frame for limited rotation about avertically extending axis eccentrically positioned along the rear ofsaid base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to andoutwardly of said base frame during rotation of the scat frame, means towedgingly anchor said seat frame to said base frame at one of thelimiting positions of rotation of said seat frame to partially supportthe load applied to the seat frame and to prevent relative movementbetween said seat frame and said base frame comprising a wedge bracketmounted on one of said frames having an angled ramp surface and aself-adjusting wedge block resiliently mounted on the other frame andpositioned for frictional engagement with the bracket ramp surface atsaid one position of rotation of said seat frame.

2. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame by apin type journal pivotally mounted on said base frame for rotation abouta vertically extending axis eccentrically positioned along the rear ofsaid base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to andoutwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means towedgingly anchor said seat frame to said base frame at one of thepositions of rotation of said scat frame to partially support the loadapplied to the seat frame and to prevent relative movement between saidseat frame and said base frame comprising a wedge bracket mounted on oneof said frames having an angled ramp surface and a self-adjusting wedgeblock movably mounted on the other frame and positioned for frictionalengagement with the bracket ramp surface at said one position ofrotation of said seat frame, said wedge block including resilient meansarranged to maintain the frictional engagement between said wedge blockand said bracket ramp surface at said one position of rotation of saidseat frame.

3. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat framemounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect theretoabout a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center ofsaid seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said baseframe so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of saidbase frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seatframe in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notchedkeeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mountedon said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeperwhen said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilientmeans to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in saidone limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and a movable,self-adjusting, wedge-lock means engageable between said frames whensaid seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation topartially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidlyanchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tiltingand vertical movement between said frames.

4. ln a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat framemounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect theretoabout a vertically extending axis otfset from the geometrical center ofsaid seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said baseframe so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of saidbase frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seatframe in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notchedkeeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mountedon said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeperwhen said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilientmeans to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in saidone limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and wedge-lockmeans engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said onelimiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied tosaid seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frameto prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames,said wedge-lock means comprising a ramp surface mounted on one of saidframes and a movable, self-adjusting, wedge-block mechanism mounted onthe other of said frames in a position to `frictionally engage said rampsurface.

5. 'in a swivel seat unit comprising a hase frame and a seat framemounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect theretoabout a vertically extending axis oifset from the geometrical center ofsaid seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said baseframe so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of saidbase frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seatframe in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notchedkeeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mountedon said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeperwhen said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilientmeans to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in saidone limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and selfadjustingwedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame isin said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the loadapplied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to saidbase frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement betweensaid frames, said wedge-lock means comprising a ramp surface mounted onone of said frames and a wedge block mechanism mounted on the other ofsaid frames ina position to frictionally engage said ramp surface, saidwedge block mechanism comprising a housing having a slide bar therein, aWedge block slidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surfaceportion projecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage saidramp surface, and resilient means urging said wedge block towards oneend of said slide bar.

6. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat fnamemounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect theretoabout a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center ofsaid seat frame and eecentrically positioned along the rear of said baseframe so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardiy of saidbase frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seatframe in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notchedkeeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mountedon said seat frame in a position engageaole with said notched keeperwhen said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilientmeans to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in saidone limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and self-adjustingwedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame isin said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the loadapplied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to saidbase frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement betweensaid frames, said wedgelock means comprising a ramp surface mounted onone of said frames and a wedge block mechanism mounted on the other ofsaid frames in a position to frictionally engage said ramp surface, saidwedge block mechanism comprising a housing having a slide bar therein, awedge block slidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surfaceportion projecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage saidramp surface and resilient means urging said wedge block towards one endof said slide bar7 and resilient means continuously urging said seatframe to rotate in a direction away from said one limiting position ofrotation thereof.

7. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat framemounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect theretoabout a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center ofsaid seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said baseframe so as to move the seat frame transversely to `and outwardly ofsaid base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch saidseat frame in one of its iimiting positions of rotation comprising anotched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch barmounted on said seat fname in a position engageable with said notchedkeeper when said seat is in said one limiting position `of rotation,resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with saidkeeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, andself-adjusting wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when saidseat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partiallysupport the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor saidseat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and verticalmovement between said frames, said wedgelock means comprising a rampsurface mounted on one of said frames and a wedge block mechanismmounted on the other of said frames in a position to frictionally engagesaid ramp surface, said wedge block mechanism comprising a housinghaving a slide bar therein, a wedge block of self-lubricating materialslidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surface portionprojecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage said rampsurface, and resilient means urging said wedge block towards one end ofsaid slide bar to effect engagement with said ramp surface, said housingincluding mounting means therefor that permits adjustment of the housingon the frame member associated therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,393Moore Aug. 1, 1911 1,735,320 Kilburn Nov. l2, 1929 2,240,620 Hill May 6,1941 2,290,464 Buchheit July 21, 1942 2,618,312 Bradley Nov. 18, 1952

